There isn’t any reason why transitioning into high school can’t be a rewarding experience for parents and teens alike.

Was high school the best time of your life? We all like to take a stroll down memory lane. We remember Homecoming, Prom, football games, and socializing with our friends. We really didn’t give much thought to what we wanted to be when we grew up. Many of us just threw caution to the wind and enjoyed our youth. However, things are much different now than when we were in school. Kids have to deal with over crowded classrooms consequently forcing them into choosing between either morning or afternoon classes. For some their only options are evening classes. This can cause major adjustments and interruptions in sleeping, eating, and family times. All this can be quite stressful to teenagers who are trying to plan what they want to do with their future while trying to balance homework, extra curricular activities, part-time jobs, and keeping their sanity. There are many more demands placed on them than when you or I were in high school. Consequently, these demands can cause severe stress posing health hazards. The average homework load alone has at least doubled, if not tripled, since we were in high school! There never seems to be enough hours in a day to fulfill all the demands placed on students.

High school is a very important stepping stone prior to college. Today’s youth needs to be prepared for the future and competing job market. The choices they make today will impact the rest of their life and that of their potential spouse and children. There’s no time to think like a kid, they have to develop adult mindsets much sooner than we did.

One thing that is comforting to many students is that they may be fortunate enough to attend high school with the same peers they graduated from middle school with. This can relieve a major portion of their stress, having a familiar face to pass in the hallway or sit next to in class. They can help each other in the beginning to make the transition easier, and view each other as a support system in case they need help in coping with schedule changes, curriculum, and new teachers.

For some students the changes are welcomed. They feel more like adults and enter high school with confidence and eagerness to learn new subjects. Depending upon the state, high school can either be pleasant and rewarding, or cause problems for new students.

The best way to avoid any problems adjusting to high school is by taking advantage of the eighth grade guidance counselors, who are able to prepare and work with students on a daily basis by giving them information on their progress; advice on what high school to select; which subjects and electives they need to fulfill graduation requirements; and what they need to know about the high school they choose.

Not every child is accepted into their first choice of high school. Therefore, having the guidance counselor give an honest assessment as to which school they think the student will be accepted, can reduce disappointment later on.

Take time to sit down and talk with your high schooler. Find out what their dreams and plans are. Encourage them, cheer them on. Steer them in the right direction, help them avoid any confusion or frustration in planning for their future by utilizing the many resources available to assist you. There isn’t any reason why transitioning into high school can’t be a rewarding experience for parents and teens alike.